Managing
heart problems

If you develop any heart problems, your doctors will discuss with you the best way to manage them. Treatment may include:

Heart drugs – Drugs are commonly used to treat heart problems. There are different types of heart medicines that work in different ways to treat heart problems. These include ACE inhibitors, angiotensin receptor antagonists (ARBs), beta blockers, aldosterone antagonists, cholesterol-lowering medicines, diuretics (water tablets) and anti-platelet medicines. You can find more information about heart drugs, how they work and possible side effects below. Ask your cancer doctor or GP if you have any questions about your drugs.

Temporarily stopping treatment – With some treatments, such as trastuzumab, you might need to stop your treatment temporarily. This is so your heart function can return to normal. In some cases, you may need to change your treatment.

Surgery – Some heart problems, such as coronary heart disease, might need to be treated with a procedure or surgery. Any heart procedures will be carried out by a specialist doctor.

Deciding how to manage heart problems

Your doctors will decide the best way to manage any heart problems that develop during or after your cancer treatment.

Treatment may include:

Taking heart drugs.

Altering your cancer treatment. For example, temporarily stopping it, lowering the dose, switching to a different treatment with less risk to the heart, or occasionally stopping the treatment completely.

Heart drugs

Drugs are commonly used to treat a number of different heart problems. This section lists some of the drugs that you may be prescribed if you have problems with your heart. It also explains how each drug works and what the side effects are.

Names of heart drugs

We’ve used drug names above rather than the names the drug company gives them (the trademark names). You might sometimes hear the drugs above called by their trademark name. Ask your cancer doctor or GP if you’re unsure about anything related to your heart drugs.

You may be prescribed, or already be taking, a heart medicine that is not included in this table. Your doctor or pharmacist will be able to give you more information about your heart drugs. You can also get more detailed information from the British Heart Foundation.

Heart drugs may interact with some cancer treatments. Always tell your cancer doctor about any medications you are taking so that they can make sure there is no interaction.

Anti-platelet medicines

Examples

How it works

These drugs help to make the blood less ‘sticky’ and reduce the risk of clots forming. This reduces your risk of having a heart attack or stroke.

They may be given to people who have coronary heart disease, angina, heart failure or heart valve disease.

Possible side effects

Bleeding in the stomach or bowel.

Indigestion.

Stomach aches.

Feeling sick and being sick.

These side effects most commonly happen with aspirin. To help prevent these side effects, always take aspirin after a meal and never on an empty stomach.

If you’re having chemotherapy, there’s a risk that the number of your platelets (blood cells that help the blood to clot) will get low. If your platelets are low, your cardiologist and oncologist will discuss the potential risks against the benefits of being treated with these medications.

Temporarily stopping treatment

With some cancer treatments, for example trastuzumab, you may need to stop your treatment for a period of time until your heart function returns to normal. Occasionally, you may need to stop treatment completely. If this happens, your doctors will talk to you about other treatments that are more suitable for you.

Surgery

Some heart problems may need treatment with a procedure or surgery. For example, coronary heart disease can be helped by a procedure that involves putting a small tube (a stent) into a narrowed artery. The stent keeps the narrowed artery open so that oxygen-rich blood can flow more easily to supply the heart muscle.

Heart procedures or surgery are always carried out by a doctor who specialises in them. These doctors are known as cardiothoracic surgeons or cardiologists. You will meet with the surgeon before any surgery is done so you have time to ask any questions.

Thanks

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